Creating your Change Agent Network

I am receiving so many requests for help on creating and running a change agent network, I thought I would share my most highly rated resources on this subject, and my most recent lessons learned.

Define your approach before adding people to your network

Start with your beliefs and assumptions so that everything you put in place can flow from these:

1. Why are you creating this network? - communicate change; train colleagues; help to design the changes?
2. Volume of change to be supported? - do you expect those involved to support one change initiative or multiple changes taking place at the same time?
3. How can people become change agents? - can they volunteer or do they wait to be nominated?
4. How is their involvement made possible? - their managers are releasing them from some of their current tasks or they undertake this work in their own time?
5. How will their contribution be recognised? - their work is included in their performance review, or they can add Change Agent/Change Champion to their title?

Share the benefits getting involved

Research on the high resignation rates post Covid identify the need for inspiring leadership, opportunities to shape our work and to feel what we are doing is meaningful. Participating in the transformation of an employer cam offer many of these non-traditional motivations which is part of your staff retention policy.

Set out a value proposition that defines what you will provide to your change agents and what you will ask of them in return. Formalising this "give and take" means you can plan and budget for what's needed.

This value proposition also provides certainty about what is involved, because it demonstrates you have thought it through and you have a plan for achieving your objectives. This ensures that the effort undertaken by your change agents feel respected and taken seriously.

Remove potential blockers

Make sure all of your motivational messages about the benefits of becoming involved are not destroyed by line managers panicked by the loss of key staff from wading through the unrelenting pressure of the day job.

Help those managers make their own local changes to reduce unnecessary meetings, endless discussions, completion of progress reports and non-value add tasks. Reducing this pressure makes it easier for change agents to get support from their managers and within their team. Without that support, everything else you put in place will be wasted effort.

Additional resources

Video/webinar https://agilechangemanagement.co.uk/practical-tips-for-creating-a-network-of-change-agents/

Step by step guide https://agilechangemanagement.co.uk/practical-steps-to-build-your-change-agent-network/